


Anywhere with Spooky or Haunted in the Title

by demistories



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ghost Hunters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-10
Updated: 2014-09-10
Packaged: 2018-02-16 22:03:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2285994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demistories/pseuds/demistories
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy Jackson is the host of BOOgers, a popular online ghost hunting show. Annabeth Chase runs and hosts Mystery Inc., a blog and show dedicated to busting myths and stories, and BOOgers greatest competitors. They each lock themselves into a supposedly haunted castle, only to run into each other. </p>
<p>{Ghost Hunters AU}</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. July 14, 9:32 PM

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally posted on [PJO AUs](http://pjoaus.tumblr.com). Thanks to [Jenna](http://lilybluebluelily.tumblr.com/) and [Crissy](http://nicodiangeloo.co.vu/) for helping me name the shows!

"And tonight on BOOgers, we'll be locked in a haunted castle all night." The shaky camera turned away from the hardwood floors and to someone who’s a little too excited about staying in a supposedly haunted house all night.

"I've got all my equipment," he said, swinging the camera towards a messy pile of equipment. "And I will record all night. And I will prove that the Castellan Castle is haunted.”

He turned the camera back to himself and smiled goofily. “I’m Percy Jackson, and this is BOOgers!”

**

_Dear readers of Mystery Inc.,_

_As I am typing this, it is Monday, July 14, 2014, 9:32 PM ET. I'm sitting in the Castellan Castle in Connecticut, which is told to be haunted by May and Luke Castellan. May is supposed to be calling out for her son, Luke, carrying around trays of cookies and lemonade, occasionally screaming about how she must protect Luke. Luke is supposed to laugh maniacally, challenge visitors to swordfights, and say he’s losing control. The two so called spirits never meet._

_If you ask me, the legend itself sounds very fake. But we all know that spirits are not real. Ghosts are not real._

_Tonight, I, Annabeth Chase, will prove to the world that the Castellan Castle is not haunted._

_Signing off at 9:36 PM ET._

**

"This old castle is actually kind of cool," Percy said. "I mean, you guys can see it so…" he turned the camera around, "look at these tapestries. Yeah, they're a little creepy, but they're wicked awesome."

The camera stopped on a tapestry of a man wrapped in a toga with winged sandals.

"Oh, wait, I know this. That’s uh…it’s… It’s a Greek god. One of the main ones. Um… Apollo? No, no! Hermes. Hermes, yeah."

"I guess having some gods in here is a good thing. They can protect me from the spirits— wait a second. The Greek gods were those crazy vengeful ones, weren't they? Well shit, maybe they won't be so helpful."

**

Annabeth took out her handheld camera and updated the blog as she turned it on.

_9:42 PM ET._

_Getting camera out to start filming. Will begin the livestream momentarily. I have all the lore on my phone, and I'm prepared to prove that this castle is not haunted whatsoever._

_SO at 9:43 PM ET._

She pressed record and turned the camera towards herself. “It is 9:43 PM Eastern Time. I'm currently in the library of the Castellan Castle, which is the center of the castle, according to the blueprints I got from the state. I've saved all the lore to my phone, so now I just have to do what I always do, follow the lore and prove that nothing happens. And if something does happen, prove that it’s just a hoax of some sort. There’s a reason the motto of Mystery Inc. is ‘There’s always a logical explanation, and it’s not the supernatural’.”

She turned to her laptop and posted her last post for at least the next hour.

_9:44 PM ET._

_Livestream is up and running. Off to prove the lore wrong._

_SO at 9:44 PM ET._

"So the first story I found says that—"

Something crashed to the ground.

Annabeth’s eyes widened, but she forced herself not to show anymore surprise. “Let’s just… Let’s go find out what that was.”

**

"Shit, shit, shit, fucking shit, fuck," Percy muttered as he kneeled down to pick up the pieces of the armor he had just knocked over. He picked up the helmet with his free hand. "Sorry guys, the suit of armor was suddenly just—" He trailed off as he heard footsteps. He slowly set down the helmet and stood up.

He took a step back, tripping over a gauntlet and crashing to the floor. “Fuck!”

He sat up to see a blonde girl with a video camera staring at him. She was kind of cu— Was she judging him? He was pretty sure she was judging him.

Percy lifted his video camera to get her in the shot. “Uh…”

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" she asked.

There was an edge in her voice that was making him a little nervous. Which was absolutely ridiculous! He faced ghouls and goblins. Some random girl shouldn't make him scared. But wait, how did she get in? He locked the doors, he double checked, was she… “Are you a ghost?”

She scowled. “Ghosts aren't real, dumbass.”

He scrambled to his feet. “Jackson. Percy Jackson.”

"Fine. Ghosts aren't real, jackass.

He ran his fingers through his hair. “And who are you to say that?”

"Annabeth Chase. I'm Mystery Inc."

Mystery Inc.? Wasn't that the name of the gang in Scooby D— oh no. Oh no no no!

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"Why are you here? I’m trying to do some actual work here!"

Annabeth scoffed. “I’m sorry, aren't you Percy Jackson? From BOOgers? Please, that’s not work.”

Percy stared at her. “Not work? This is work!”

"You're named after nasal mucus and your ‘job’ is to prove that non-existent things exist. Please, that’s not work."

He narrowed his eyes. “You're named after a cartoon from the 70s. How is that even legal? And Scooby Doo totally has supernatural stuff in it, so why would a nonbeliever like you use it?”

"I have my ways. If you actually knew anything about Scooby Doo, you'd know that it’s always a human being, never a supernatural creature. There’s always a logical explanation, and—"

“‘it’s not the supernatural’ blah blah blah, I know! You say Scooby Doo doesn’t have supernatural in it, but what about the live action movies? Huh?”

"Those don't count!"

"They totally do!"

"They were ridiculous, they definitely don't count."

"What are you talking about? Those movies were amazing!"

"Amazing? The CGI was horrible, and don't even get me started on the plots they were just—"

Her phone started ringing.

Percy smirked. “Is that the Scooby Doo theme song?”

"Shut up, it’s for work." She stepped away from him. "Hello? …Speaker. Why do you want to— Okay, okay!"

Annabeth turned back towards Percy and held her phone out in the palm of her hand.

"Hello?" Percy asked.

"Yeah, hi, it’s Piper McLean. I’m Annabeth’s friend. You and I actually met a while back. Through Jason?"

"Oh yeah, I remember you."

Annabeth pointed her camera towards her phone. “Why are you calling us, Pipes?”

"Because, not only are you two idiots arguing about Scooby Doo, you're arguing about it on two livestreams. You would not believe the fights going on in the comments. People are hopping from stream to stream, just yelling about if there are supernatural beings and all that. Oh, and a lot of people think you're cute, Jackson."

He smiled. “Thanks guys!”

Annabeth rolled her eyes.

"Annabeth, I saw that," Piper said. "Percy’s videotaping this. So are you. You guys really are idiots."

Annabeth looked towards his camera, her gaze darting away when it met the lense. “Do you have a reason for calling, Piper? Or can I hang up on you?”

"Right. Well I just wanted to tell you that Annabeth’s fans think Percy’s hot, Percy’s fans think Annabeth’s hot, most of them think you look super cute together, and everyone is going to be done with you arguing about Scooby Doo basically as soon as I hang up."

Percy frowned. “When are you going to—” He was cut off by the dial tone. “Oh.”

Annabeth put her phone back in her pocket. “So.”

"So."

They stared at each other. They knew at this point, everyone probably had both livestreams open and were watching intensely.

"Should we split up?" she asked.

"Does that make me Scooby, Shaggy, and Velma, or Fred and Daphne? Because Scooby, Shaggy, and Velma always run into the monster first."

"There are no such things as monsters!"

"Says who?"

"At the moment, most of the scientific community!"

Percy opened his mouth to say something, but then remembered he actually had work to do. “Fine, whatever. Believe what you want. But we are not splitting up. Now that you're here, we're stuck together.”

She stepped back. “Oh no, no way!”

"Why not?"

"What I do is legit, you chase stories! I research and prepare for this! Do you?"

He thought about it. “What do you mean by research?”

"I mean looking up the lore, the origins of the lore, finding the people the lore is about, learning the history of the site, do you do none of that?"

Annabeth pointed her camera directly at him. He could feel all her viewers watching him, judging him.

"Uh… I- I usually just read the first few things that come up on Google."

She sighed in frustration and stomped away.

"Wait no! We can't split up!"

**

Annabeth set her camera on the bookshelf and pulled out her phone.

_9:52 PM ET._

_I know you're all freaking out about Percy in the comments of the livestream. But trust me, I will prove him wrong. There is nothing supernatural here, or anywhere. You know that, I know that. He needs to know that. Now I’m going to go find him because I, and probably you, can hear him yelling for me, and it’s actually getting kind of chilly here in the library. Must be a draft from the fireplace. Here comes Percy now. It’s time to prove that there’s nothing unnatural about this castle._

_SO at 9:53 PM ET._


	2. July 14, 9:55 PM ET

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy and Annabeth decide to stick together and start exploring the castle.

Annabeth almost crashed into Percy as she left the library.

The only reason that she didn’t was because he grabbed her shoulder to stop them from colliding, and saved their cameras from getting dropped or smashing together. That would’ve been bad. She didn’t have the money to buy a new camera, or even repair it. Rachel and Piper would offer, but they  _gave_  her the camera, and they let her stay with them at their places whenever she needed a place to crash. She couldn’t ask for more from them, no matter how much they protested.

She shook his hand off her shoulder. “Sorry.” That’s what she got for scrolling through her phone and not paying attention to where she was going.

“It’s fine.” He leaned around her and looked into the library. “Library? There’s always interesting stuff in the library.”

Annabeth blocked his way. “Yes, the books all look very interesting, but my stuff is in there. You’ll mess something up.” Her system was very precise. She knew exactly where everything was, and if he moved something so much as centimeter, it would throw her off.

“Books?” he asked. “I wasn’t talking about books. I was talking about how spirits always like to be around things that they value, at least the ones I’ve run into have. Libraries usually have priceless stuff sitting in glass cabinets, there could be—”

She held up a hand. “Oh no. My stuff is all set up, and you aren’t going to disturb anything, mine or the Castellan’s. Besides, spirits don’t exist.”

“You’re no fun,” he pouted, giving her the saddest puppy dog eyes ever. He looked like a baby seal, how could she—

She glared at him. “No. There doesn’t appear to be anything of value in there, and it’s not very warm. There are better places to look for fictional ghosts.”

Percy stood up straighter. “’Not very warm’? Are we talking like cold spots? Because you know, cold spots are a sign of spirits.”

“ _No_.”

“Fine. Let’s go find something else to look at.”

**

“Wouldn’t this be more interesting for the people watching if we split up?” she asked as they wandered down a hallway.

“We aren’t splitting up. Besides, it’s fun to have someone to talk to.” Percy smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes and stopped to study a painting hung on the wall.

He would get to her. He was already starting to get to her, and he knew it. He was going to break through whatever shell or wall Annabeth Chase had and figure out what made her tick. He knew that she was trying to figure him out, so he was just returning the favor.

Besides, Annabeth was one of his biggest competitors. Knowing how she worked would help him get the upper hand.

Or something.

He mostly just wanted to figure out why she was so against the idea of the supernatural being real.

“Don’t you love haunted castles?” he asked, trying to force a conversation. “Paintings with eyes that watch you, suits of armor you think are statues, and then there’s that guy that follows you every time you turn around…”

“Hm.”

“Hey Velma, why don’t we go find something interesting.”

“There’s something off about this painting…”

Percy sighed. Could she even hear him talking? Or was he just background noise? “There aren’t eyes that are watching us, are there? Because I was  _just_ talking about that.”

She frowned and looked over her shoulder to him. “Sorry, did you say something?”

He shook his head. “Nothing important.”

Annabeth stepped away from the painting and squinted her eyes. “Okay, Rachel, I’m sending you a picture of this painting, and I’ll do a full view of it in a second.”

“Wait, what?”

“Could you move out of the way?”

Percy stepped to the side of the painting, but he still wasn’t sure what she was doing.

She pulled out her phone and walked to the opposite wall. She snapped a few pictures, and kept her camera on the painting. “Just text me your thoughts. Thanks, Rach.”

“Who are you talking to?” he asked as she put her phone away.

“My friend Rachel. She’s an art student, and I’m hoping she’ll be able to tell me what’s so off about this painting.”

“Oh, that’s cool.” He looked at the painting. Nothing seemed off to him. But then again, he wasn’t an art student, or friends with one.

“Do you have contacts that help you prove that the supernatural is real?”

“Uh…sort of?”

**

_10:04 PM ET._

_Percy and I are going to the kitchens. We both have lore saying that May Castellan bakes in the kitchen, the “food” piled to the ceiling in teetering mountains. I am 100% certain that she will not be there. Percy is 100% certain that either she’ll be there, or some sign of her will be. I hope he doesn’t mind being wrong._

_Rachel is taking a look at that painting for me. She’s been comparing it to other paintings done during the same era. She said she should know what’s off about it soon. She agrees that something doesn’t seem right about it._

_SO at 10:06 PM ET._

Annabeth updated the blog and read the top few comments with a scowl.

“What?” Percy asked, holding her camera for her.

“Just some of the comments,” she said, putting her phone away and taking her camera back. They weren’t mean comments. They weren’t rude. They were actually very enthusiastic comments. She just didn’t like what they were implying.

He nodded. The hallway they were standing in split into three. “Which way to the kitchen?”

“Left.”

She tried to focus as they walked around the dark castle, with only their camera lights to help them see. It was hard with Percy talking, and she tried to ignore him, but she couldn’t. What he was talking about wasn’t even interesting to her. He was talking about some video game him and his friend Leo played.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to do that.”

Annabeth tried not to jump when he spoke. She definitely hadn’t been looking at him. And certainly hadn’t been watching how the shadows from their camera lights danced across his face. “Mean to do what?” She hoped her voice sounded normal. It sounded too high in her mind.

“Just talk on and on and on.” He made hand gestures with his free hand. “It gets kind of lonely when I do this by myself, so I usually just talk about whatever comes to mind.”

“Oh. It’s fine. I usually start analyzing the architecture whenever it gets too quiet.”

“Architecture? Like columns an—”

Annabeth’s camera light flickered and went out.

“What the—?”

“Did Annabeth ‘I’m prepared for everything’ Chase forget to bring batteries?” Percy teased.

She shook her head and flicked the switch on and off. “No, I just changed them before I came here.”

Percy’s light blinked out. “Shit.”

“Do you have night vision?” she asked, changing her cameras setting. She reached into the side pocket of her bag and pulled out the night vision goggles Piper had gotten her.

“You never know,” Piper had said at the time. You really never did.

“’Do I have night vision’,” Percy muttered, fumbling with his camera. “You don’t have more batteries?”

“ _You_  don’t?”

“I get your point. But at least I get to try out the night vision, right?” He put on his goggles and pulled out his phone, typing with one hand.

Annabeth made a few more adjustments to her camera. “What are you doing?”

“Texting Leo. He did something to my camera and told me to let him know when I use night vision for the first time. I’m using night vision for the first time.”

She decided to take the opportunity to update her blog.

_10:19 PM ET._

_As you probably already know, both Percy and I’s camera lights have gone out. We’ve turned on our night vision, and we’re hoping that you can see clearly. We’re still on our way to the kitchen, this is just a small delay._

_Rachel just texted me. She says that while the painting is a certain style, the brushstrokes are not the kind usually used for that style. She used actual art terms, but told me to leave them out of the blog. Something about confusing the readers, and even though I’m sure you all would understand, I’ll take her word for it._

_10:21 PM ET._

**

They put away their phones and started walking towards the kitchen.

“We’re close,” Annabeth said as they entered a new hallway.

“Okay.”

The silence was uncomfortable, but Percy wasn’t sure how to break it. And he knew she wasn’t either. They were both thinking it, he could feel it. But she’d deny it as soon as he said it. But the way she was holding herself…

Was it worth the risk? He liked taking risks, but they were building this weird sort of friendship thing and it was already on rocky ground. If he brought it up she might never talk to him again, and for some reason, he hated that thought. Annabeth was logical, he decided, she should at least consider it. Denying it wouldn’t help.

“Annabeth, I know you don’t want to talk about it, but the lights going out—”

She stopped walking and turned to him. “Don’t. Percy, don’t.”

“You have to—”

“No!”

He noticed the absolutely terrified look in her eyes. She was gripping her camera tightly. He moved his camera so she was no longer in the shot.

“I know you don’t want to talk or think about this possibility, but you do have to consider it.”

She shook her head. “No. No!”

“You have to consider the possibility that there might be supernatural beings. And you have to consider that they’re in this castle.”

She shook her head again. “They can’t be. It’s not logical. There’s… no.”

Her knuckles were turning white from holding the camera.

“Okay, you know what? You’re right. There are no supernatural beings here or anywhere. Let’s just go back to the library.”

Annabeth grabbed his arm. “No, we can’t. We both promised our viewers something. And we have to fulfill that promise.”

Percy stared at her for a second. “You’re right,” he forced himself to say. “We’ll keep going.”


End file.
